NEW DELHI: Niti Aayog (Agriculture) member Ramesh Chand has said protesting farmers have not fully or correctly understood the new agricultural laws, affirming that these laws have the potential to increase farm income big time.
He further said that the motive behind the three new farm laws is the exact opposite of what the protesting farmers have understood.
In an interview with PTI, Chand said: “By the way, I am reading these farmers, who are protesting, it seems that they have not fully or adequately understood these three laws.”
“If these new farm laws are allowed to be implemented, there is a very high chance that farmers’ incomes will increase dramatically and, in many states, they may even double,” he said in response to a question about whether the government still has trust. of doubling farm income by 2022.
The NDA government led by Narendra Modi has set a goal of doubling farmers’ incomes by 2022.
On September 27, the president Ram Nath Kovind approved the three agricultural bills: the 2020 Trade and Trade in Agricultural Products (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill; The Agreement for the Assurance of Prices and Agricultural Services for Farmers (Empowerment and Protection), 2020; and the Essential amenities (Amendment) Bill 2020.
Niti Aayog member, delving into farmers’ claims, said protesting farmers are saying that the Essential Products Act (ECA) has been scrapped and that stockists, black merchants, etc. have been given full freedom. .
“If we look at what has actually been done, it is that an amendment has been made to the Essential Products Law. In accordance with that amendment, a criterion has been established on when the Essential Products Law can be imposed, and that is If there is a 50 percent increase in the prices of grains, oilseeds and legumes, then it can be imposed, “Chand explained.
“Or if there is a 100 percent increase in the price of onions and potatoes, the Essential Products Law can be imposed,” he added.
Citing one example, Niti member Aayog said that on October 23, the Center had invoked the Act when onion prices were increasing.
It was required, he said, adding that “states were told to put limits on stocks.” Similarly, to allay fears of farmers protesting contract farming, he noted that there is a big difference corporate agriculture and contract farming.
“Corporate farming is not allowed in any state in India … and contract farming is already happening in many states and there has not even been a single occurrence in cases where private companies have seized land from farmers “Chand said.
Niti Aayog member stated that the new Agreement on Price Assurance and Agricultural Services for Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) has leaned in favor of farmers.
To a question about the growth of the agricultural sector, Chand said: “In this fiscal year (2020-21), I expect the growth of agriculture to be a little over 3.5 percent.”
The growth of agriculture and the related sector stood at 3.7% during the 2019-20 fiscal year.
On the frequent ban on onion exports, he said that whenever prices go beyond a band, the government intervenes and it happens everywhere in India, the United States and the United Kingdom.
Noting that prices always stay within a band, Chand said that in some situations, the government protects the interests of farmers by stopping imports and sometimes protects the interests of consumers by prohibiting exports.
“We cannot allow onion prices to go up to Rs 100 also when farmers do not sell onions. 60-70 percent of onions hit the market in April and May and do not hit the market at this time. , said.
Chand argued that it is not that by imposing an export ban the government is doing something terribly wrong against producers.
“It is done only in a particular situation, never in a normal situation,” he explained.
Thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab and Haryana, have protested against the three new laws. They say that the intention of these laws is to dismantle the system of minimum support prices.
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